


how easy it is to fall

by LelianasSong



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff, More tags to follow, Sharing a Bed, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 12:28:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17828570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LelianasSong/pseuds/LelianasSong
Summary: Lady Liadrin had been a great friend from the start, yet as time moves on Thalyssra finds that it's hard to stop herself from falling for the paladin.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Come get yo Liadrin and Thalyssra juuuuuuuice! Listen they needed more content and I am nothing if not a giver! I hope ya'll enjoy this!

Her first mission for the Warchief had gone off with far more disaster than Thalyssra had planned. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t happy to have been able to flex her fighting skills once more, but perhaps facing Jaina Proudmoore hadn’t been the way she wanted to start off the beginning of her life in the Horde. Now, she was sat within the Nighthold, pouring over reports from the various Nightborne champions and trying to not replay the events within her mind for the millionth time. If not for that prophet?

Taking a deep sigh, she picked up the goblet of Arcwine that stood beside her. They had taken pains to revamp the vineyard, without needing the Nightwell to sustain them any longer, she no longer felt that relief of magic surging through her body. The alcohol was nice though. That she was getting used to that sort of relief. Her eyes traced the midnight liquid, smelling its fruity aroma and losing herself, if only for a moment.

Before she could lose herself too fully, she heard a knock at the door, before one of the guards posted outside opened the large doors inwards. She looked up at them, knowing she had said that she would be available for visitors but hadn’t truly expected any to come. As she saw who the visitor was, she felt her muscles relax automatically and an easy smile spread across her lips. Standing quickly, she strode forwards to greet her friend, who gleamed in the brilliant red and gold of her Blood Knight regalia. Liadrin had always cut an impressive figure and now, with a smile on her face and those golden eyes blazing, Thalyssra couldn’t have been happier to see her.

“My friend!” Thalyssra spoke, placing a hand on Liadrin’s shoulder, aware that the sharp edges on the sin'dorei’s armour would hurt if she pressed in for a hug. “How do you fare, Lady Liadrin?”

“I fare well, First Arcanist. Or should I say Grand Magistrix?” Liadrin chuckled, tilting her head to the side as she studied her. “How are you? I heard about the rescue mission.”

“Please, leave us,” Thalyssra directed at the guards before she motioned over for Liadrin to join her on a long chaise that sat within the large office and it’s towering purple walls and large windows. She had to suppress a giggle as Liadrin had to divest herself of both her shield and sword, always as prepared as she was, even for friendly visits. “How much did you hear?”

“I have seen the reports. It seems that without the Prophet Zul, you might not have been here to speak with me now. Lady Proudmoore is an impressive adversary to put it mildly,” Liadrin spoke, her shoulders slightly rigid as she regarded her.

“Yes, I do believe that we might have met her match in her. For all of my years and I could not even hope to fight a human mage? Perhaps I should be devoting myself to more study, rather than these reports.”

“I have heard that being stuck inside of bubbles can make you soft,” Liadrin laughed, albeit tensely. 

“You speak as if I did not incite rebellion, Liadrin.”

“I speak as a friend, concerned for your well-being.”

“Is that why you came then?” 

Without faltering, Liadrin nodded, her golden eyes looking intensely at Thalyssra. In one simple action, Thalyssra felt herself smile far more widely than she had in awhile. Even in the midst of celebration, there had been anxiety over the future and yet knowing that Liadrin had cared enough to come here? To check on her? It filled her heart with a delight that she had not felt in quite a long time. Without thinking, she reached forward and clutched Liadrin’s hand with her own, squeezing it in appreciation.

“I am more than fine, Liadrin. I got out with not so much of an icicle scrape. I have come out of fights in my youth far worse off than I did after that mission,” Thalyssra laughed easily, smiling as Liadrin’s shoulders relaxed under the gentle hold of her hand. 

“I never took you for one to get into scraps like that.” Liadrin laughed freely at that, her head falling back slightly as if she let it out from the centre of her being. “How many fights did you lose?”

“You wound me, my dear.” Thalyssra placed a hand to her heart in mock offense, even as her fangs slowly exposed in a toothy grin. “I will have you know that I won many fights in my time!”

“Without the use of magic? I find that hard to believe!”

“Well, let’s see then shall we? The next time I am in Orgrimmar or Silvermoon, we will spar and see who wins the fight! I do seem to remember Lor’themar mentioning that you used to be a High Priestess before!”

“I could have beaten you then, as well,” Liadrin laughed, her eyes shining brighter still that Thalyssra felt her heart leap a little within her chest. Odd.

“Then accept my challenge, dear Liadrin. We shall see who has the last laugh! Perhaps a little wager?”

That seemed to capture Liadrin’s interest even further as the blood elf leaned forward intently, turning her hand around so that she properly clasped Thalyssra’s hand in her own, as if they were to shake hands. She smiled back, her ears twitching slightly as she levelled her with the same intensity that Thalyssra had seen her wear on the battlefield.

“What prize shall we settle on?” Liadrin chuckled, a sound that seemed only to make Thalyssra’s own smile brighten.

“Perhaps you should buy or make me dinner, when I win our little wager. You could host me in your wonderful Silvermoon.”

“And when you inevitably lose?”

“Well if that were to ever happen, I suppose I should host you in Suramar. I do not like to brag often but I have been known to make food that rivals some of Suramar’s finest haute cuisine.”

“Tell me, will the portions be as small?”

“For you, I would make them as large as you wished.” 

Thalyssra could almost swear that she saw Liadrin blush. A faint rosy hue seemed to brush across her cheeks for but a moment before it seemed as if the paladin has managed to bring her features back into line. Instead, the woman smiled and nodded her head, holding their hands up between them and shaking. The deal had been struck and it seemed that only now was Liadrin actually comfortable enough to lean back and take a drink of the wine that sat on the side table for her.

“Well, I don’t suppose you’d have the rest of the evening to catch up?” Liadrin said, looking at Thalyssra over the edge of her glass.

“You’re not going to give me more reports are you?” Thalyssra glanced over to her desk, where the pile seemed too impossible anyway. “I think I might drown in the ones I have already.”

“Oh no. I thought perhaps that you could just use a friend. Besides, the reports I have can be given to you tomorrow.”

“Is there any possibility of you misplacing them before then?” Thalyssra smiled at Liadrin sheepishly.

“Not a chance.” Liadrin chuckled, shaking her head and producing the papers that Thalyssra had seemingly wilfully ignored earlier.

“Not even for me?”

“Oh Thalyssra, not even you would make me wish for the Warchief’s ire. I have known her for a fair while, both living and dead. If that’s a battle you want to have…”

“Just put them on the desk and I can ignore them for as long as possible,” Thalyssra sighed, waving her hand dismissively at the desk.

“I knew you’d see things my way.” Liadrin stood up and placed the papers on the desk before she turned around and leaned against the furniture. Thalyssra couldn’t help but find her eyes drawn down the gleaming shape of her armour and wondered how such a proud and powerful being could ever exist. It was only when the woman cleared her throat did her eyes return to her face, which now wore a bemused smirk. “Now, how about a real drink?”

By the time they had eaten dinner and dressed down for the evening of Liadrin’s stay, Thalyssra could not help but try to hide the interested look she wore when she peered at Liadrin. Despite the fact they had spoken on several occasions and had known each other for a bit, Thalyssra could not remember the first time she had seen Liadrin out of her regalia. Yet here she sat, with tight black breeches and a shirt that was partially tucked into them, her arms bare in the warmth of the arcane warmed air. Perhaps less imposing than in her armour, yet there was something still so confident about the woman as she sat with a mug of ale that had been sent to the new Grand Magistrix from a particularly eager Pandaran. It was a welcome and a hearty one at that, though definitely not to her usual tastes.

“Do all blood elves enjoy… this?” Thalyssra asked as she sniffed at the ale again and took another cautious sip.

“No, quite the opposite in fact. We came from the same people and whilst we have changed into our own cultures, I don’t think the wine preference has changed. Since being in the Horde, I have come to appreciate the other drinks of our collective people. It takes some getting used to but I’ve gotten the taste for it now,” Liadrin chuckled, a rich and deep sound that filled Thalyssra’s chest with warmth.

“Yes, the shal’dorei and sin’dorei do have much in common, don’t we?”

“It’s why I pushed for you to join us,” Liadrin spoke, her eyes burning with that intense passion that Thalyssra had seen on so many occasions. “You deserve the same chance to find allies in this world.”

“And the Warchief? You did not tell me how easy she was to convince.”

“I believe out of everybody, Sylvanas knows what it is like to feel rejected by those who would once call us allies. The Forsaken, the sin’dorei, the shal’dorei… we have all suffered from that rejection. It is a strength that we are together now, I think.”

“And of the Zandalari? Do you think the Horde will benefit them as well?”

“My dear Thalyssra, I thought you wanted to speak on things other than reports and policies?” Liadrin laughed, cocking her head to the side as she smiled. “Or have you decided that talk of alcohol and our cultures has gotten far too dull far too quickly?”

“I have lived in a bubble for over ten thousand years, my patience is legendary.”

“And yet here we are…” 

Thalyssra huffed, trying to temper down the smile on her face as she looked Liadrin’s glowing smile. The nightborne’s ears twitched, cocking slightly to the side as Liadrin merely laughed at the exasperated sigh that left the mage’s lips. Instead of sitting back down, Thalyssra went to one of the walls within her private study. The entire room was filled with bookcases and cabinets, each of them lined with numerous tomes and magical artefacts that she had decided to store here rather than in her personal home. It was much easier to keep track of her organised living space if it was not piled high with thousands of centuries of progress. She trailed a long finger along the spines of many of the books, casting her eyes over them before she finally settled on a cabinet to the side. 

Smiling, she opened up the door of the furniture and took out a small, dimly glowing orb. The moment she touched its surface, she felt the arcane energies within her call out to the ones that lay dormant inside of the object. She moved the orb delicately in her hands for a moment, watching as the glow brightened until she could see the sparkling stars that seemed to glow within its depths. With a gentle word, whispered to the orb, she felt it float up out of her hands, spinning gently in her palm as she turned and walked back towards Liadrin.

The paladin’s ears perked up as she peered into the orb, sitting upright to take a closer look. Thalyssra watched as she let her magic flow as the object floated higher into the air and cast a blanket of midnight sky across the entire room. Up in the ceiling, constellations patterns every space. Every wall, every book, decorated in an image of Azeroth’s sky. Liadrin’s gasp was audible, as she stood up and looked around the room. 

“How? This is wonderful!” Liadrin exclaimed, turning around in a circle as she did so and taking everything in.

“This has always been a favourite of mine. It was hard to see the stars at times, at least without the filter of the bubble that kept us hidden away. This was never the same, but it brought me comfort that perhaps one day we would get outside and I’d be able to see the stars again,” Thalyssra spoke softly, her eyes moving away from the stars to more closely watch Liadrin’s face.

“I… would like to sit and watch the stars for awhile, if that is fine with you?” Liadrin spoke, never once taking her eyes off of the stars that sparkled and shone in the sky.

“Of course, my friend.”

Liadrin took some of the pillows that acted as seats for reading and organised them into the perfect little nest on the floor. She worked so diligently and by the time she plopped herself on top of her  handy work, Thalyssra couldn’t help the way her eyes followed every movement. Liadrin was a good friend, she had given them an option for a future and for that she was more than grateful and yet, here was also a woman who was immensely captivating too. She almost looked away the moment that golden eyes locked on hers and narrowed in confusion slightly, before the blood elf simply let her head fall back onto the pillows.

Without a word, Thalyssra came to lie beside her friend, their arms brushing together as they both looked up at the stars above them. She could hear the soft breathing of Liadrin beside her and she couldn’t help but look over at her. For the briefest moment, she wanted to reach her hand up and trace the lines that the starlight created along Liadrin’s strong jaw and high cheekbones. The light seemed to cast an ethereal glow upon her. An astral beauty amongst the solar glow of her eyes, it was magnificent and otherworldly. She watched as a smile pulled at the corner of Liadrin’s lips, and it was hard not to wonder what it would be like to kiss the softness that lay there.

Forcing her eyes back to the ceiling, Thalyssra tried to ignore the way her heart skipped a little in her chest, making her feel a warm glow. It would be so easy, to good her pinkie around Liadrin’s, bringing their hands together like they had done before, entwining them. But that would be too much, she thought. That would cross a boundary that she wasn’t sure that Liadrin wanted. So instead she lay there until she heard Liadrin’s breaths deepen and sure enough, when she looked over, Liadrin’s eyes were closed and her mouth slightly open as her chest rose and fell with her breaths. She looked so sweet like this, every worry and crease seemed to smooth out in her moment of peace.

As silently as she could, Thalyssra stood up and gently slipped her arms beneath Liadrin’s knees and supported her back as she lifted her up. She tried her best not to jostle her friend and she was surprised with just how heavy she was. Given her muscles, she should have expect it but blood elves were always so small that it was difficult to remember that they could still be just as solid. There was a moment when Thalyssra thought perhaps she had moved too quickly, when Liadrin grunted a little in her sleep and turned inwards to Thalyssra’s chest as she carried her to the palace’s guest rooms. It would be too much to take her back to Thalyssra’s personal home and besides, she had her own bed here for working late.

She managed to get one of the guards to help her open the doors to the guest bedroom, though she insisted on carrying her friend herself. The room was lit with soft blue arcane lights, leaving the room in a calming and peaceful hue. Closing the door behind her, Thalyssra managed to carry Liadrin over to the bed without incident. However, as soon as her back hit the mattress, Thalyssra felt strong arms wrap around her shoulders. Biting her lip, Thalyssra tried to prise the arms off of her, only to find the arms tighten around her. Liadrin mumbled softly, unaware that she had trapped Thalyssra like this.

Chuckling softly, Thalyssra shook her head at the woman and simply crawled onto the bed and lay beside her. Perhaps she would be released later on in the night, but for now, she was content to just stay in her friend’s arms. It would take a little to explain in the morning, but Thalyssra had missed this. It had been so long since she had shared her bed with someone, even like this. The closeness of it all was something she hadn’t realised she had been missing so much. Now however, she let herself drift off to sleep, with the smell of forest, steel and incense, a smell that melded to make a smell so distinctly Liadrin that it was hard not to get some comfort from it.

In the morning, Thalyssra woke up still wrapped up in her friend’s arms and with Liadrin’s head on her chest. At some point in the night, there legs had entwined together and she could feel every inch of Liadrin’s exposed skin pressed against hers and she was perhaps too thankful that her clothes allowed for the gentle touch of Liadrin’s fingers to graze against her skin. As she opened her eyes, she felt a shift on top of her as Liadrin’s eyes snapped open and she looked around her surroundings, taking in the room and their position before hastily scrambling backwards. Her cheeks flushed a rosey pink and the colour seemed to even spread to her ears. They pulled back slightly as Liadrin’s eyes seemed to cast down in a far more bashful expression than Thalyssra was used to.

“You… fell asleep and so I carried you back. It seems you are very clingy when you sleep. I couldn’t get you off, so I decided to wait until you let go in the night. I don’t think you ever did,” Thalyssra laughed softly, smoothing down her clothes as she stood up from the bed. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I’m sorry if I was inappropriate,” Liadrin said, clearing her throat as she tried to regain her composure.

“Not at all, Liadrin. Though I must admit, I never took you for a cuddler.”

“There are many more things you could learn about me,” Liadrin chuckled, her hand raking through her hair and pulling it out of her ponytail.

Thalyssra watched as the glow or arcane lights glinted off of Liadrin’s auburn hair, making it sparkle as if she were truly the embodiment of the sun. It looked so soft and much like last night, she felt this inexplicable urge to reach out and stroke Liadrin, running her hands through that glorious hair and… no.

They got ready in relative silence, though a few off hand jokes were flung here and there, especially of the vice like grip that the paladin had captured her with. Still, although she would never admit it to Liadrin, Thalyssra had slept more soundly than she had done in years. The warmth of her friend in her arms seared into her memory like a perfect dream. Perhaps she would need to reevaluate this, but until then, she was only grateful that nothing seemed to have changed. At least, not for the worse. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been awhile... I've written a lot in the last couple of days so hopefully I've destroyed whatever writer's block was keeping me from updating this!! I hope you all enjoy the gays ;-;

**** There had been no reason as to why Thalyssra had made sure she was available to visit Silvermoon as quickly as possibly could. Officially, she had wanted to get her work done and engage in another cultural visit to her new friends and allies, although there was no doubt in her mind at that moment the true reason for it. The feeling of Liadrin’s skin against hers felt as if it was seared into her memory and when she had left Suramar, Thalyssra had pulled the woman into a hug and Liadrin’s laugh had sent her heart fluttering within her chest. Maybe it was foolish, to feel that way for her friend, but Thalyssra would be remiss if she didn’t at least acknowledge the shit.

“You’re thinking about her again.” Valtrois’ voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her into the present where she was packing together her bags for the short stay. “Are you going to silently pine for her or do something about it?”

“I am not pining, Valtrois,” Thalyssra responded simply, as she closed the lid on her small trunk.

“Are you certain? I have heard you hum more and seen you stare off into the distance far too much lately. We both know why you suddenly needed to visit Silvermoon.”

“You can’t be the only one who gets to travel, Valtrois,” Thalyssra laughed, turning to her friend and raising her eyebrow. “You must leave some fun for the rest of us.”

“If it were anyone else, I’d agree. Yet, you might as well be 1000 years old and scribbling your name next to hers or carving them into trees.”

“Surely I am not so far gone, my friend.”

“Perhaps, but I don’t see you being too far from it.” Valtrois folded her arms and surveyed her for a moment, her lips pulling into a sly smile that Thalyssra always knew as a precursor for whatever was to come. “You promised to spar with her? Maybe you should start with that and invite her to spar a little differently later?”

“As much as I like the way your mind works, I need to focus on us as friends and allies. Nothing more.”

“That’s not what you want though.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“And what of her? Is that what she wishes for you to be as well or are you both just as completely useless as the other?”

Thalyssra laughed, shaking her head as she picked up her things and headed out of the door, knowing that Valtrois, would follow. She would be joining her on this trip after all before heading back to Zandalar and whatever it was that the Warchief had her seeing to these days. Seeing her friend alive and well was always a relief, despite the fact that she was inclined to speak her mind upon everything to her. As an advisor it was one of her finer qualities, there was no greater check nor balance than Valtrois and her penchant for knowing when a plan was foolish or not. However, as a friend who seemed to be entirely too perspective? Well, perhaps Thalyssra would have to try to hide her feelings more lest she find herself in these sorts of conversations all the time. 

“You can’t hide from it forever,” Valtrois said, interrupting the silence that had fallen between them once more. 

“I do not need forever, Valtrois.”

“I used to be the closed off one and look at you now! Leadership has certainly changed you, First Arcanist.”

“Can we please just get to the portal already? I’m sure you’ll have plenty more to tell me off for when we actually arrive at Silvermoon.”

“By all means, my friend,” Valtrois snorted, waving towards Oculeth who was waiting, beaming and with a portal opening before them. She bowed far too deeply, her lips pulling into smirk. “After you.”

“Don’t tease her too heavily Valtrois,” Oculeth laughed as Thalyssra thanked him graciously.

Without waiting to hear Valtrois’ snarky reply, Thalyssra stepped through the portal, keeping her back straight and smoothing her smile in greeting, rather than the mirthful one that her friends had managed to put on her face. 

Stepping through the portal felt almost to her as simple as walking through a doorway. She moved through with purpose and her smile lit up when she saw not just Lor’themar, but Liadrin too, stood there and waiting for her. Both of them greeted her with smiles and raised their forearms to their chest in the shal’dorei greeting she had taught them.

Her eyes instantly went to linger on Liadrin, once again admiring the familiar armour she wore and her heart fluttering a little in her chest when she saw the way that the woman’s smile brightened when their locked eyes. In fact, even as Valtrois stepped through, Liadrin’s eyes never once left hers. Usually Lor’themar would have swept in to place his arm into hers and walk them in a tour around the city, but she did not miss the way the man seemed to look between her and Liadrin with an eyebrow raised, before he fell into step with Valtrois as they began their walk around Silvermoon.

Instead, Liadrin seemed to be the one to stand forward, offering her an arm, which Thalyssra could not possibly refuse. The only words she received really were the quiet inquiries to her health and travel that always went along with diplomatic visits, something that Thalyssra found herself berating slightly, mostly because she could not find her own words to say to this woman. The last time she had seen her, they had spent the night in the same bed and sleeping in her own bed without that warm presence had felt as if something was missing ever since. There was no way to say that though, not when Liadrin was enjoying the peace of their walk, as they could hear Lor’themar and Valtrois talking up head.

As they walked towards Farstriders’ Square and the visit to the Hall of Blood that she had not yet visited, she noticed that Valtrois tilted her head towards her and Liadrin, a smirk pulling at her lips before she turned and whispered something to Lor’themar. Both of them laughed with each other, casting looks back at the both of them, before continuing on their journey.

“I wonder if those two will ever learn about subtlety,” Liadrin spoke, her voice laced with amusement as she shook her head at the backs of the two elves in front of them.

“Oh I believe Valtrois to be exceedingly subtle when she wants to be. They want us to think about what they’re talking about. It would amuse Valtrois if I asked them to elaborate on their conspiring,” Thalyssra laughed, leaning down closer to Liadrin until her lips were almost at her ear. “I suggest we ignore them and act as if we are unaffected. That would infuriate the both I’m sure.”

“True, we can’t give them the satisfaction of getting to us, can we?”

“Perish the thought. So, I remember something along the lines of a wager from your last visit to Suramar. Are you ready to lose?” Thalyssra asked, her eyes sparkling with mirth as Liadrin turned to look at her with a smirk.

“Oh? Are those fighting words, First Arcanist? Well, perhaps that is why I chose to take you to the Hall of Blood today. I couldn’t have you losing our wager without teaching the younger paladins a lesson in humility,” Liadrin laughed, her eyes sparkling in their golden hue in a way that almost made Thalyssra’s breath catch in her throat.

“Yes, I suppose it would do well to learn humility from their Matriarch in the face of a loss wouldn’t it?”

“Ha! We will have to see about that! I’m looking forward to your cooking far too much to let you win.”

“The great Liadrin, driven by her stomach?”

“I am driven by many things, Thalyssra,” Liadrin laughed, straightening her back even further and almost puffing her chest out slightly. “Perhaps my stomach is one of them. As I believe I told you before, there is much you haven’t learnt about me yet.”

“Yet? Well then, I look forward to learning more of these secret habits of yours, my dear. If they are anything like your apparent cuddliness, I relish the chance to see what your other disarmingly adorable traits are.”

Thalyssra could not help but laugh as Liadrin’s eyes widened just a fraction at her, before the paladin managed to school her features. Still, it was hard for her to conceal the way her ears seemed to redden at their tips and the way they twitched and flicked at the exchange. There was always something adorable, Thalyssra thought, about the slightness of blood elven ears and it was harder than she thought to resist the urge of pointing out their expressions or to touch them gently.

Biting her lip, for but a fraction of a moment, she looked forwards to large columns and two golden statues that flanked the entrance of the Hall of Blood. It was grand, something that the two races had in common certainly, although many shal’dorei would perhaps believe the bright gold to be a little garish on the eyes. For Thalyssra though, it spoke of the price of these people, of the pains they had gone through to rebuild and to find pride in who they are, even in the face of adversity. She pondered for a moment whether Liadrin knew that had she not been such a beacon of light and an undeniable personification of blood elf ideals and determination, that Thalyssra might have been more reluctant to find common ground with the Horde and them over the Night Elves who had turned them away. Liadrin showed more heart than she had seen many in her life and seeing her face now, beaming in pride as they stepped over the threshold of the building, she was reminded of how right her choice had been.

Liadrin unfurled her arm from Thalyssra’s, much to the nightborne’s disappointment, however she did not stray far from her side as the Blood Knight Matriarch ushered her Regent Lord and the visiting dignitaries to see the work that was going on amongst the paladins. It was typical at first, as Liadrin introduced her and Valtrois to Lord Bloodwrath and Magister Bloodsworn, who both seemed immensely busy, but eager to listen as their Matriarch requested their time. It was perhaps one of the first times Thalyssra had seen Liadrin interact closely with the Blood Knights and the pride and respect they had for her was not a surprise in the slightest. 

What she did not expect was to see a young blood elf run up to the group of people, throwing her arms around Liadrin from behind and pressing her cheek into the back of her armour. The girl seemed to be young, a teenager perhaps, and her blonde hair was tied up high and she seemed to be wearing training gear, complete with a wooden sword hung in belt. Rather than tensing up, as she would have expected her to do, Liadrin’s smile grew as she turned around and wordlessly embraced the girl fully, her hands smoothing down her hair before they finally parted.

“Salandria! I was told you were out for training this week!” Liadrin said, tilting the girl’s face up to her and inspecting the bright gold of her eyes. “Your eyes, they were green last time we met were they not?”

“Yes ma’am,” Salandria said, laughing easily. “Lord Bloodvalor said that you would be pleased. Also that I should show you my training when you were next in the Hall of Blood. You aren’t busy are you? Oh… wait, you are aren’t you?”

The young girl’s face dropped slightly, her ears drooping as she looked between Lor’themar, Valtrois and Thalyssra. Still, she bowed, standing herself to attention as many of the guards around the city did, her back straight and that soft childlike excitement replaced with the impassive expression of a soldier. Thalyssra could see the pride that seemed to shine so vibrantly on Liadrin’s face as she gently placed a hand upon the girl’s shoulder, drawing her attention back to her.

“We are taking a tour of the Hall of Blood, perhaps you should join us, Salandria. I’m sure First Arcanist Thalyssra and Arcanist Valtrois would appreciate hearing your insight into our training here,” Liadrin spoke, stroking her hand over the girl’s hair again.

“First Arcanist?” Salandria exclaimed, her face flushing slightly as she hurried to bow again. “I am so sorry for my poor manners earlier.”

“Do not worry, Salandria, was it? There is no need to apologise,” Thalyssra said, her eyes still drawn to the way in which her and Liadrin engaged with each other. “You are a young initiate here then?”

“Yes, First Arcanist. I have been here since I was a child,” Salandria replied, her posture easing a little as she relaxed.

“You showed much promise when you were younger, didn’t you?” Liadrin chuckled, her eyes drifting to look at Thalyssra.

“Oh yes! Mother gave me the opportunity to hone my skills here and gave me a home! I’m trying my best to prove myself worthy of that kindness.”

“You are already worthy, my child,” Liadrin said, smiling so warmly that Thalyssra felt her heart practically melt at the sight.

“Lady Liadrin adopted you then?” Valtrois asked, casting a glance to Thalyssra. 

“Yes, I did,” Liadrin said, tilting her head slightly.

“I had no idea that Liadrin had a daughter, nor that she had one as devoted and capable as you,” Thalyssra spoke, smiling as the girl blushed at the compliment. “Perhaps you should show us all what you have learned? I’m sure we would all be pleased to see it.”

Salandria looked towards Liadrin then, her ears tilting slightly before Liadrin nodded at her. The young girl’s face seemed to light up then as she hurried towards where Thalyssra assumed the training area would be. It did not take long for them to reach the area before Salandria hopped over into the training ring, replacing her wooden sword with a dull blade and facing against one of the other young initiates, who seemed to be a little nervous that both the Matriarch of the Blood Knights and the Regent Lord were both watching the sparring match.

Thalyssra watched with interest as the young initiates seemed to circle each other, each with their swords clashing in practised parries and blocks. The difference between the two was that the other initiate’s blade seemed to glow only dimly, whilst Salandria’s seemed to glow with a slightly more muted Light than her mother’s, but nonetheless brighter than the other’s. It was a quick spar, as both moved gracefully, but Salandria’s sword managed to make contact with the other initiate’s side, sending a burst of light that made the them yelp and jump back from the shock of it, landing on their butt.

Salandria laughed then, a loud and vibrant sound that the other initiate could not help but mirror as the young blood elf helped her friend off of the ground. The two seemed to be in high spirits and as Thalyssra looked at Liadrin, she could not tell whether she was prouder of the fighting display or the camaraderie that she had shown afterwards. If she had a daughter who seemed so kind and vibrant, she knew she would perhaps know exactly how Liadrin felt right in this moment.

Without looking at anyone else, Liadrin stepped towards the initiates, conversing with them and giving both of them pointers on their fighting skills. Despite Salandria being her daughter, Liadrin’s mentorship seemed to extend just as easily to the other youngster. Both young elves seemed to be brimming with pride by the time Liadrin had finished speaking to them. Salandria wrapped her arms around Liadrin, giving a hug before she made her way quickly over to Thalyssra. Before she got there, Thalyssra looked up at Liadrin for answers, but only got a shrug of Liadrin’s own confusion in response.

“First Arcanist?” Salandria spoke, leaning in and lowering her voice. 

“Yes, Salandria?”

“I think my mother really likes you,” Salandria said, her golden eyes brimming in earnest. “She won’t say it herself but I thought you should know. She’s a remarkable woman.”

Thalyssra’s eyes widened for a moment at the girl’s confession. She tried her best not to look over at Liadrin, finding herself failing completely as she looked up and saw those golden eyes watching the two of them closely. Liadrin smiled at her though, furrowing her brows and tilting her head in curiosity. 

“I- I think she is rather remarkable too,” Thalyssra spoke quietly, returning her gaze down to the waiting expression of the young paladin.

“Then why won’t you tell her?”

“I- don’t know,” Thalyssra laughed breathlessly, completely baffled by the forwardness of this girl she had only just met.

“Then how will she know? I don’t understand adults, I thought you were supposed to be smart?” Salandria asked, frowning slightly. “I hope to see you soon, First Arcanist. I’d like to show you how I’ve improved if I can!”

“I would be delighted to see it, Salandria. Now, go before your mother asks what we were talking about. We don’t want her knowing you’ve divulged her secrets.”

Salandria nodded, turning back to Liadrin and giving her a salute. She turned and bowed, bidding the others farewell before she scampered out of the training area and towards a group of other initiates that were speaking in hushed tones and looking over at the display of foreign dignitaries and the leaders of their own nation. Thalyssra shook her head, trying to wrap her head around the conversation before Liadrin or even Valtrois could question her about it. It had been many thousands of years since she had been that young, would she have ever been so forward as that? She did not think so and yet Salandria had apparently had no qualms with it.

“Your daughter is exceedingly special, Liadrin,” Thalyssra spoke, shaking her head fondly as she still looked after the girl.

“What trouble has she gotten me into now?” Liadrin laughed, arching her eyebrows as she followed Thalyssra’s gaze.

“No trouble at all.”

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” Liadrin chuckled, as she leant on the post of the training area. “Speaking of trouble, I believe you decided you wanted to settle a wager instead of admitting defeat. There’s no time like the present and there’s a training area  _ and  _ witnesses.” 

“You have got to be joking,” Thalyssra spoke, looking to Valtrois and Lor’themar as if asking them to intervene. “You want to do this right now?”

“There’s training gear in the other room, I’m sure we can get you settled in something that fits you.”

“What wager was this?” Valtrois asked as she made her way over to them, her lips curling into a smug grin and her eyes lighting up in amusement as she looked pointedly at Thalyssra. “You never told me you were having a little wager here.”

“The First Arcanist insisted that she could beat me in a friendly bout of hand to hand combat. No swords, no magic. Those were the rules were they not?” Liadrin chuckled, her hands going to the straps of her armour and undoing the pieces.

Lor’themar snorted, but quickly looked away the moment Thalyssra shot him a look, not amused at the fact she knew that he was snorting at the very idea of challenging Liadrin to a sparring match. It had been a moment of bluster and Liadrin was continuing to call her bluff perhaps a little too well. At this point, there was no pulling out and despite knowing that she was bigger than the blood elf and did have considerably toned muscles herself, she was not trained in martial combat as Liadrin was. Still, she met Liadrin’s eyes as the woman seemed to have taken off her armour until she stood in a sleeveless undershirt, which was tucked into black breeches that hugged at the defined muscles of Liadrin’s legs. Her biceps flexed as she stretched, loosening her body from the stiffness of ceremonial armour and relaxing into the flexibility she now enjoyed.

Of course she had seen her muscles before, but her mind could not help but drift back to when Liadrin had held onto her as she’d slept, those strong arms feeling like a protective weight that kept Thalyssra safe. She had to practically tear her eyes away as she cleared her throat trying to pull her eyes back to her eyes after they had drifted down, rather too obviously. Liadrin seemed to have not noticed, but as Thalyssra looked over at Lor’themar and Valtrois, it was obvious by the way the two had looked to each other and were laughing, that they had not missed a single thing.

“Very well, I shall find something to wear and then we shall finish this,” Thalyssra spoke calmly, smoothing down the fabric of her clothes.

“Don’t be long, Thalyssra,” Liadrin called out as she began to walk away. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

Thalyssra knew that she had truly been looking forward to this when she finally re-entered the training area and Liadrin was in the middle, flexing her hands in the hand-wraps that protected her fingers. There was something about knowing that those strong hands were going to be anywhere near her body that made Thalyssra’s heart race in her chest, a thought that she wondered whether Liadrin would think about as well. Salandria had said that she liked her and whilst that could very well be more so about admiration and friendship, there was something that hoped that Liadrin might be feeling as distracted by this as she was.

If she was, she certainly didn’t show it. Not when she looked up as Thalyssra entered the training area and not when they settled into their fighting stances. Those golden eyes simply bored intensely into her own, as if they were going through her and into her very soul, trying to picture every possible movement and tactic that Thalyssra could possibly make and piecing it together in her own mind, poised to react to it.

At first, it seemed as if they waiting took too long, as both elves circles each other, Thalyssra’s feet moving lightly upon the soft matt that would protect them should one of them fall. Her muscles were tightened and prepared as she waited for the first opening. The first drop in Liadrin’s defence came quicker than she expected, but as soon as she lunged forward to strike, she found her hand blocked and smacked away quickly. Grunting, she tried again, trying to duck beneath the paladin’s guard and land a swift kick to the woman’s stomach now. That too was blocked, as hands quickly reached out and grabbed her calf, a smirk pulling at Liadrin’s face as pulled the limb, sending Thalyssra off balance.

As she managed to twist away and right herself, she found herself on the offensive more often than not. Liadrin seemed to be going through the motions, simply watching and waiting and Thalyssra had the worrying feeling that she was merely learning. Whilst Thalyssra could feel the sweat that was beginning to sheen on her skin, she could not see the same exertion yet from the smaller woman and it was frustrating to know that she was merely toying with her at this point.

An idea sparked in her mind then, if Liadrin was learning her patterns, she would need to do something that she did not expect. Something that would give her an advantage over the diligence that the Blood Knight Matriarch showed. As Thalyssra threw a punch she knew to be exceedingly weak, she waited for Liadrin to move to block it, before she surged forward, ramming her shoulder into Liadrin and sending the both of them toppling to the ground. Liadrin gave out a surprise grunt, her hands scrabbling to get a hold of Thalyssra as the nightborne pressed her body hard to the ground, using her greater size to try to trap the paladin beneath her.

“That’s cheating!” Liadrin laughed, as she tried to free her hand, her head falling back onto the matt for a second.

“How is this cheating? I didn’t use magic or a weapon!” Thalyssra chuckled, her eyes sparkling as she took in the way Liadrin’s hair seemed to have come out of its hair-tie and was splayed out partially behind her head.

For a moment, she almost lost herself, looking down at the woman beneath her and trying to quash down the squirming sensation in the pit of her stomach as her mind ran through scenarios they could be in similar to this. With far more privacy and certainly a softer location. Suddenly, she felt hands on her thighs, gripping tightly in a way that force Thalyssra to have to bite her lip in order to control any unwanted sounds that threatened to take her by surprise. Before she could even think, she felt Liadrin’s body surge beneath her, pushing her off of her and rolling them over until Thalyssra was the one on her back and Liadrin was straddling her waist.

She seemed to be able to apply the weight of her dense muscles to her hips in a way that made them almost impossible to move. Her hands pinning her wrists down to the matt beneath her and her expression bright in triumph. Liadrin barked out a laugh as Thalyssra tried to press upwards against her restraints, but it seemed almost hopeless. There was no moving the paladin off of her and by the look on Liadrin’s face, she knew it too. Grunting, Thalyssra relaxed her body underneath Liadrin, shaking her hair out of her face, and blowing slightly on the hair that was cascading down from Liadrin’s head. 

“Do you yield?” Liadrin asked, her voice barely over a whisper as she wet her lips, a dangerous action that made Thalyssra want nothing more than to just grab her by the neck and pull her down to her so that she could taste those lips for herself.

Thalyssra sighed heavily, her chest heaving as she tried to regain her breath from the fight. “I yield, I yield. Fine, you win!” 

“So, I’ll see you for dinner in a few days. That should give you time enough to prepare,” Liadrin said, seemingly unfazed by the position they were in.

“Any specific requests?”

“Surprise me,” Liadrin chuckled, reaching forward and pushing the rest of Thalyssra’s hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. Her fingertips gently grazed Thalyssra’s jaw, sending a jolt of want to Thalyssra’s stomach and for once, it seemed like Liadrin was lost in thought, if only for a moment, before she stood up swiftly and reached her hand out for her to take. 

“I will send a letter to you finalising the details tomorrow,” Thalyssra spoke, trying to regain her composure as she allowed Liadrin to draw her to her feet.

“Good. It’s a date,” Liadrin chuckled, her eyes brimming with amusement as it was Thalyssra’s turn for her eyes to widen slightly at the statement. “Now if you’ll excuse me, there are duties I must complete here for the rest of the day. I hope you enjoy the rest of your tour about the city. It was a pleasure as always Thalyssra… Valtrois.”

With that, Liadrin made her goodbyes, giving Lor’themar and Valtrois a respectful salute before she turned to Thalyssra. She paused for a moment, rocking slightly on her feet for a second before she decided to envelop Thalyssra in a strong hug, before clapping her shoulder as soon as she pulled away. It was a simple action and of course it did not mean much, but as Liadrin walked away, Thalyssra couldn’t help but watch after her, following her with her eyes as she walked over to her armour and picked up the pieces. It was exceptionally hard for a moment, as Thalyssra found her gaze drifting down to the strong and fine swell of Liadrin’s backside in those black breeches. 

Cursing her own thoughts, she schooled her features and turned around, only to find Lor’themar and Valtrois openly smirking at her, both of them exchanging near identical glances before they seemed to open their mouths to speak at almost the same time.

“Not a word,” Thalyssra interjected quickly, giving Valtrois especially a pointed look. “I do not want to hear a single word from either of you.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was too excited about this fic not to get the next chapter done before I did anything else... whoops? Anyways, I hope you enjoy, my sweet sweet readers <3

**** With the bubble that had protected them gone, Thalyssra often found that she had found a new appreciation for the night. The scars that the Legion had left outside of Suramar were still there and a haze of Fel could sometimes be seen in the distance, but for the most part, Thalyssra found herself looking up into the stars often. It was strange, truly, to be able to see them with the naked eye, to be able to study them without having to look through an arcane pane of glass that always brought more longing than answers. Now, as she sat, she tried to calm her breathing by looking up into the night, using the stars and the darkness as a way to silence her racing mind.

It would not be long until Liadrin would arrive, she had sent word ahead already that she was within Suramar, but had needed to perform some business for Sylvanas before finally making her way to Thalyssra’s private estate. Normally she would not be so nervous about receiving guests into her home, after all, many had seen her in the ragged caves of Shal'aran and her home would always be far more pleasant to stay in than there. Still, the knowledge that her and Liadrin would be alone, without the guards in the halls around them and without any interruptions felt even more intimate than sleeping beside her had done.

Shaking her head, Thalyssra dragged herself away from the stars and returned back inside, moving to where she had been preparing the various fruits, meats and cheeses that she had acquired for dinner. Shal’dorei cuisine was still being renewed as they moved away from the use of the Nightwell as their one and only food source. She had grown rather fond of a sweet fruit found within the nearby forests and as she looked at the abundance of it within their meal, she could not help but hope Liadrin liked it as much as she did. Humming to herself, Thalyssra took a small, savoury tart she had made, popping it into her mouth and groaning at the sweet taste of caramelised fruit on her tongue that brought the morsel to life. She was tempted to reach for another, when she heard a warm laugh from behind her.

“Impatient are we, Thalyssra?” Liadrin chuckled. She was leant against the doorway, surprisingly devoid of her armour and instead dressed in tight black breeches, a form fitting and pressed shirt and a black tie. Her cut of her muscles seemed to show through the shoulders and arms of her shirt and Thalyssra couldn’t tear her eyes away as the woman tilted her head. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

Absently, Thalyssra brushed her hands down the black, silken dress she wore. Her ears twitching a little as she watched Liadrin’s eyes trail over the arcane swirls that decorated the fabric, shimmering and glinting in the purple lighting of her home. Those golden eyes did not spare long on her body though before they moved back up to her eyes, burning into her with something that send a shiver down her spine. It was hard to put into words, it was hard to admit to herself that as they stood in silence, a tension settled over them, pulling Thalyssra towards her as if by gravitational pull and pulling her breath from her lungs.

“Greetings, Lady Liadrin. You’re looking rather handsome,” Thalyssra spoke, her voice coming out calmer than she felt inside. “I trust your business wasn’t too tiresome?”

“Oh, I went to speak with Valtrois regarding a mission she had been sent on by one of the Champions. It was an easy enough task, though I believe she was rather amused by the fact I would be coming here after our meeting,” Liadrin chuckled, shaking her head to herself. “I am beginning to think that woman only has two facial expressions around me.”

“Yes, her sly grin has been rather hard to get rid of recently. I am beginning to think that Lor’themar has brought out the worst in her.” Thalyssra laughed with her, as she stepped forward finally. Taking Liadrin’s hand in hers for a moment, she paused but a moment before she bowed down and kissed the blood elf’s knuckles in greeting. “I hope she hasn’t cause you too much trouble.”

“I’m used to trouble, Thalyssra. It doesn’t bother me.”

Liadrin’s eyes seemed to be watching her intently as Thalyssra dropped her hand. The tips of her ears almost looked as if they were the colour of roses, as they quivered ever so slightly. Thalyssra felt the urge to laugh at the sight, to trace a finger up those ears and to tell Liadrin that she need not worry, her secrets would be safe with her. She would be safe with her. Yet the words did not come, instead settling within her chest, pressing until she was almost too scared to let them out for their ferocity. Instead she waved her arm towards the spread of food behind her, drawing Liadrin’s eyes away from her and onto their dinner.

“I have long been without the delicacies of Suramar and the world has changed much around us, I wanted to share with you my new favourites,” Thalyssra spoke, watching as Liadrin walked forward, brushing her arm against Thalyssra’s for just a fraction before she peered down at the food. A small pink tongue flickered out from her lips as she licked her lips, her eyes brightening as she looked at the spread before her. “What do you think?”

“I’m thinking that I am really glad that I beat you in that sparring match. I almost let you win, but I’m glad that I didn’t,” Liadrin laughed, turning to look up at Thalyssra with a smile. “Though losing to you wouldn’t have been so bad.”

“We should have a rematch then, just to see if you truly could  _ let _ me win,” Thalyssra scoffed, gently prodding Liadrin with her finger and playfully scowling at her.

“We shall see after this meal, I may never want to eat anything else ever again. Anar’alah belore, this looks delicious, Thalyssra. Did you make all of this?”

“I put aside some time, just for you, yes,” Thalyssra spoke, ignoring the way her stomach seemed to flip at her own words. She didn’t look at Liadrin, who seemed to have turned her attention to her again, instead picking up the platter and moving it over to the lowdown table where they would be enjoying their meal. 

Liadrin sat down on one of the pillows as Thalyssra fetched the newest batch of wine that Suramar had started to make. It held a hint of arcane still, but without the disastrous addiction side effect that the arcwine had held for them. Soon she hoped the shal’dorei would be able to season their food without a touch of the arcane, but until that day, this would have to do. She smiled as Liadrin’s muscles seemed to sag as she took a long sip of the wine, relaxing for the first time in awhile, if Thalyssra was right about the tension in her shoulders.

For a moment, Thalyssra hesitated, uncertain where on the round table to sit, until Liadrin raised an eyebrow at her and patted the pillow that was next to her. As Thalyssra finally sat down, she could feel their knees brushing against each other and she had to take a moment to push the thought out of her mind. How she had gone from sleeping in the same bed as this woman and feeling her arms around her to bristling at the slightest touch of skin, she did not know. It was strange to say the least, as if twisted her stomach into knots and all she could think of was the face of Salandria as she had told her how Liadrin felt about her.

It had been simple enough, Liadrin liked her, but at the end of the day, that could mean so much for a young person. It was not an easy emotion to quantify and so impossible was it to figure out the specific variables, that Thalyssra had often spent nights trying to simply talk her mind around in circles. It was funny really, it hadn’t taken her nearly this long to decide on whether to listen to the other elders or to rebel against the decision to ally with the Burning Legion and yet here she was, indecisive and vulnerable.

“Where should I start?” Liadrin asked, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the present. “Were those tarts that I noticed you eating earlier?”

“Oh of course, those are a delight. Here, let me.” Thalyssra moved to pick up a tart without thinking, holding it out for Liadrin. The woman looked at her curiously for a moment and whilst Thalyssra had entirely expected Liadrin to take it out of her fingers, she had not expected her to take it with her mouth.

The breath seemed to cut out from her lungs as Liadrin gingerly look the tart between her teeth, breaking a section of it off and drawing back. She chewed thoughtfully then, her tongue gliding across to lick her lips and her eyes never once broke from Thalyssra’s. Once she’d swallowed the first bite, she leant forward, taking the rest of the tart from between Thalyssra’s fingers and humming softly as she finished her bite. Thalyssra’s eyes widened as she watched, her mouth pulled in an almost impassive line, except there was no way her eyes and quivering ears were not giving away the sudden twist in her chest. 

“Delicious,” Liadrin practically purred as she took another from the platter. “Would you like another?”

Thalyssra found she could merely nod as Liadrin held the tart out for her, following Liadrin’s earlier actions except that she took the tarts in one bite. She watched as the tip of her fang grazed against the tip of Liadrin’s finger and could only see the tightening of Liadrin’s jaw rather than a full facial reaction. Still she had noticed it, the intense gaze deepening as she herself leant back and relished in the sweet, tangy taste of the tart in her mouth. She had not meant to groan before, but as she watched Liadrin, she felt the bravery that had been seemingly absent between them pull another, more deliberate groan from her lips.

It was just a taste, a sample, yet she saw the way Liadrin’s chest stopped on the inhale, still and silent as the tension seemed to get heavier between them. A simple meal, that was all Thalyssra had planned but now, looking at that tense jaw and those burning eyes, she wanted to lean forward desperately. There was so much that she wanted, that she yearned for and all of it could shatter the peace and friendship between them. It could shatter everything and still Thalyssra wondered why she cared so much to not even try. To not just push forward and-

Liadrin gave up before she did. Liadrin was the one who surged forward; power and strength and longing. Those lips that had been so close to her fingers collided almost clumsily with her own lips in one swift moment of bravery. Liadrin’s fingers found her neck, pulling her closer as Thalyssra’s own lips began to move, hesitantly at first before her brain finally caught up and figured out what was happening. She sighed into Liadrin’s kiss, her own hands reaching to weave into thick auburn hair that felt so soft beneath her finger tips. There was not much thought after that, as Thalyssra pulled the smaller woman into her lap, groaning as that pink tongue stroked against her bottom lip, seeking entrance that was eagerly given.

Those muscles she had always admired, the ones she had felt beneath her thighs in their sparring match, the ones that had so effortlessly pinned her, were now moving against her. Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling them closer as Thalyssra’s free hand slid down to the blood elf’s waist. The planes of her stomach were strong to the touch, a fortress of security that begged for Thalyssra to touch them, feeling the way they twitched beneath her fingers. It was mesmerising to feel such power on top of her, moving with her and somewhat grinding into her. As hips rocked against her own, she could not help but groan, pulling on Liadrin’s hair so that her neck was exposed to her. Moving away from the taste of tart on her tongue, she trailed heated kisses down her neck, pressing her tongue along the sides of her neck, following the sensitive lines as Liadrin swallowed thickly.

“Thalyssra,” Liadrin gasped, her hips rocking again and her arms tightening around her as she seemed to quiver under the sensation. 

“Hush, I have you,” Thalyssra purred, giving in to her earlier urges and running a finger up Liadrin’s ear.

The moan that the paladin gave out seemed to echo around the room, loud and unabashed as Thalyssra caressed her ears. They twitched under her attentions, almost in time with the way Liadrin’s stomach muscles quivered. There was something incredibly primal about the way Liadrin’s body rocking on top of her made her feel, as Thalyssra could not resist dragging her fangs down her neck and slowly biting down upon her pulse point. She could taste the rosewater fragrance that Liadrin must have bathed in and the lingering sweat from walking to her home tasted divine in her mouth. It had taken so long for them to get to this point and Thalyssra wondered how should could have ever allowed herself to miss out on the way in which strong hands pressed at her back and neck before she felt them cup her cheeks.

Liadrin pulled her lips back to hers and Thalyssra felt almost consumed once more as the sin’dorei pressed forward, pushing her onto her back. One hand fell beside her head, whilst the fingers of the other traced along her cheekbones, gently caressing her and sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. The touch moved, mapping out her skin from her cheeks to her jaw, down her neck and across the shoulders where they stroked against the silk of her dress. 

“Liadrin,” Thalyssra purred, running her hand down her waist and around to her backside. She squeezed the strong flesh beneath her hand, growling as she dragged her down and rocked harder against her. She wanted her; needed her right now. “You are so divine.”

The lust was clear in her eyes, swirling like a torrent of fire behind her eyes, but as Liadrin looked down at her, her whole body went tense, that fierce passion faltering for a moment. Her ears pressed back for a moment, her eyes dipping between the both of them as if she finally realised what they were doing. Thalyssra felt Liadrin go rigid, her legs suddenly pushing her up and off of Thalyssra in one swift movement. It was so quick, that Thalyssra barely had time to follow her before Liadrin was stood on the other side of the room, smoothing down her shirt and running her hand through her hair anxiously.

“Liadrin? Are you alright?” Thalyssra asked, worry colouring her words as she sat up swiftly and started to walk towards the woman who had begun to pace. 

“I’m… fine, First Arcanist,” Liadrin spoke, as she turned to look at Thalyssra. For a moment her eyes dipped down, taking in the dishevelled appearance of Thalyssra’s dress before she seemed to determinedly stare into her eyes. “I- there is something I must do in Silvermoon. I’m sorry to have to cut this evening short.”

“What? You’re leaving?”

“Yes, I… it’s important.”

“Are you running from me?” Thalyssra asked, trying to school her voice even as she felt a cold sense of dread settle in her stomach.

Liadrin shook her head, holding her chin high and trying her best to hold herself with strength. There was nothing that could mask the fear in those golden eyes though, that war that seemed to be raging behind the light and Thalyssra dared not step forward, lest she tip the scales one way or another. She wanted to reach out, to pull the woman close and hold her. To tell her that it would be all okay, that she could be safe here, vulnerable here.

“Liadrin, use your words.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Thalyssra. If you need to find some stress relief from this war, you should find someone else. We have people to protect. They need us and I need to focus on them,” Liadrin said, her voice steady and strong as if she were addressing her people rather than her friend.

“So you are running from me? Liadrin, we are people beneath these titles.  _ You _ are a person beneath it all. I have worried for a while, whether we would be crossing lines, but is it not worth it? Do we not deserve to give ourselves some happiness in this world, Liadrin?” 

Thalyssra stepped forward, reaching a hand out and gently cupping Liadrin’s cheek. She wanted to kiss her, wanted to pull her into a hug but she could see that flight in her eyes and knew that any action were just as likely to push her away than to pull her closer. Despite the determination on her face, Liadrin leaned her cheek into the touch, her eyes slipping partially closed as if she were allowing herself one final moment of weakness.

As quickly as the moment was allowed, Liadrin pulled her cheek away again, her eyes glancing towards the mean that lay largely untouched before looking back at Thalyssra. She strode forward, picking up Thalyssra’s hand and pressing her lips to her knuckles before stepping away again.

“I- I am sorry, my lady. Perhaps in another lifetime, we might have been able to indulge in this. Farewell, I… shorel’aran.”

Before Thalyssra could say another word, Liadrin turned around and was gone. There was no pause, no moment where the woman looked back or perhaps faltered in her decision. It was something that Thalyssra had always admired in her, something she had seen within herself too and she knew then how strong that conviction was and found herself hating it. She hated that she could still feel the press of lips against hers, or hear the purrs and moans, the hushed sound of her name as Liadrin had given in to her kisses and allowed herself, if only a moment to feel.

Slumping back down to the ground, Thalyssra picked up a fruit that once had brought her joy, but now she could do nothing but scrunch her nose in disgust at it. Her appetite was gone, her heart a throbbing pain within her chest and all she could do was close her eyes. The dagger that had slid into her back had brought its pain, the betrayal and fear and anger, but there was something different about the dagger that felt as if it was being slid into her heart, twisting with the grief of a peace almost won.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been able to get these two out of my head so I'm just finishing this before I update anything else... whoops? ;-;

As the weeks passed, with growing reports of Nightborne casualties over Zandalar and Kul Tiras and the trials of ruling her people, it was almost maddening that Thalyssra could not remove the thought of Liadrin’s lips from her mind. She had heard little from the Blood Knight Matriarch, except for a gift basket that had arrived a week after their evening together, complete with a letter of apology. It had been short and direct, as Liadrin was want to do, an apology for initiating the kiss in the first place.

_Dear First Arcanist,_

_I am writing to once again apologise for my careless behaviour the other night. It was foolish of me to initiate such a thing and I am deeply sorry that our meal went to waste. I hope this does not soil the relationship between us, as both representatives of our people and as friends._

_May the Light protect you,_

_Lady Liadrin_

The words had made her laugh at first, a cold and broken thing as her heart felt the loss of the warmth of her touch and the passion of her kiss. Perhaps she had been the foolish one, to have thought that maybe they could have found peace in one another, that maybe Liadrin could have been her starlight, a calming presence and joyous guide. Now, well now there was simple resignation to the fact that she had allowed her heart to feel too much and that her heart was better left devoted to her people.

Valtrois, of course, had promptly asked about their evening together and was the only one who knew of what transpired. As soon as Thalyssra had explained, the arcanist had made the most dramatic sigh that Thalyssra had ever heard from her, a feat that was a great one indeed. It had felt somewhat cathartic to hear as Valtrois had paced the floor of Thalyssra’s office, muttering and sighing under her breath about the both of them. Even Oculeth had tried to ask, when he had walked in on Valtrois’ display, but Thalyssra’s silent contemplation of the question had left him to place a hand at her back and to briskly change the subject.

She was glad for the distractions, for her friends and confidants to pull her mind away from those strong arms and slightly chapped lips. That was until she received another gift, this time one of a bouquet of beautiful flowers she had seen flourishing in one of the florists in Silvermoon. They were spectacular colours of red and gold, shimmering with the latent arcane energies of Quel’Thalas. As Thalyssra looked at them now, her fingers gently caressing the petals in contemplation, she was almost too scared to open the envelope that accompanied them.

“Are you going to read the letter, or simply stare at the flowers until they wither and die?” Valtrois spoke, breaking her from her thoughts. The arcanist had been the one to place the flowers on her table and had been watching her for the past few minutes as she simply considered the gift carefully.

“I was simply thinking, Valtrois. I- what do you think the letter contains? A further apology? Another nail in proverbial coffin?” Thalyssra said, her fingers moving to hold the envelope that seemed heavy in her hands.

“A nail in the coffin? What are you talking about?” Valtrois scoffed, as she leant her hip against the desk and regarded Thalyssra with something of impatience.

“It was a phrase that one of the human outlanders used, I had them explain it to me. Some part of me is hoping that this contains an apology of a different kind, but that would be foolish wouldn’t it?”

“What’s foolish is the way the both of you seem incapable of having a conversation about all of this.” Valtrois plucked one of the flowers from the vase they came in and lifted it to her nose, inhaling deeply. “Liadrin does have excellent choice in flowers though. These are divine.”

“I did not think it was wise to press the issue, Valtrois. We must focus on our people and that is something I can understand and admire in Liadrin. She needed the space to process, not my presence to make things harder on her.”

“You’re quite right, we are after all martyrs who are beyond trivial emotions and must _rise_ up above them even when we continue to mope around for weeks after with naught but one-way light correspondence between. Truly, the both of you have found the perfect equilibrium of fear and stubborn duty to hide your hearts behind. Really, I commend you on your ability to be so completely ridiculous in your romantic affairs.”

“Are you finished, Valtrois?” Thalyssra asked, raising her eyebrow at her friend. “May I open the envelope now?”

“I have been waiting for you to open that for hours, so I would love you too. I have a meeting with Stellagosa that I simply cannot miss,” Valtrois scoffed, placing the flower in her hands back into the vase.

With deceptively steady hands, Thalyssra found the edge of the envelope and slid her nail along the gap, seamlessly cutting it open. Each movement slow, as if she were readying herself for the words before her. As she opened the letter up to see the practised handwriting of her friend, she could feel her heart practically racing in her chest. Her eyes raced across the page, taking in the words again and again and feeling such a strange feeling that she could not help but laugh.

“Well? What is it?” Valtrois tapped her fingers on the desk, her brows furrowing at the strange reaction.

“Liadrin wishes to speak with me. She’s invited me to Quel’Danas.” Thalyssra read the words over and over again, trying to figure out the feelings behind them and coming up empty. “She says that we need to talk about what happened?”

“At last! Some actual communication!” Valtrois exclaimed, clapping her hands slowly together. “Truly, I did not think miracles actually existed.”

“Sometimes I think that you enjoy this far too much, my friend.” Thalyssra smiled wryly as she leant back and tapered her fingers together. “In your infinite wisdom, what do you think she wishes to say?”

“I don’t rightly know, though it is hopeful. I do not think she’d invite you merely to reiterate her letters.”

“Closure is an extremely powerful thing,” Thalyssra mused, smoothing the paper beneath her fingers. “Lady Liadrin knows that well.”

“What do you think is going to happen? What do you hope for?” Valtrois asked, her snark far removed as she spoke in a low voice.

“Those are two very different answers, Valtrois.”

“The hopeful one then.”

“Truthfully?” Thalyssra sighed, smiling softly as she surveyed the attentive concern on Valtrois’ face. “If I were being truly honest to myself, it would give me no greater pleasure than to simply take that woman in my arms and make her feel all the love and admiration I hold in my heart for her. She is an impressive woman with an even more impressive resilience and heart. It would give me no small amount of joy to be able to tell her all of that and have her return those feelings to me, as foolish as it sounds.”

“That does not sound so foolish to me, Thalyssra.”

“Isn’t it? We are both-”

“Leaders. Yes, I know. But you know as well as I do that you are both also just two women beneath it all, with loves and desires like any other mortal does. Was it not you that told me that when I started to pursue Stellagosa?”

“Did I truly say something so wise?” Thalyssra asked, laughing slightly at herself.

“The only thing that surprises me about your wisdom, is your apparent inability to follow your own advice.”

“We shall see, I suppose. I shall head to Quel’Danas tomorrow, as she requested. I hope that at least once my visit is over, I might have some more clarity of mind.”

With that, Thalyssra stood up from her chair, scooping the case of flowers up and walking past Valtrois to place them on pride of place on a grand shelf that lined the walls. The red and gold stood out amongst the dark purples and blues of the room, shining like a beacon and captivating Thalyssra’s attention easily. A warm smile pulled at her lips as she admired them in silence, as Valtoris placed a lingering hand on her shoulder before leaving the room to continue her day. In the quiet of the now empty room, Thalyssra felt and heard her heart beating in her chest. She stood and thought, wondering what she could possibly say to Liadrin tomorrow, what could possibly be said to her, her mind concocting an endless stream of lifetimes and possibilities, all leading up until one inevitable moment.

\----

Silence. That had been the answer to so many of her questions. It was a silence that had hung between them since Liadrin had greeted her, an awkward thing that seemed filled with words that neither of them were somehow able to say. Liadrin wasn’t wearing her armour today but silken fabric that would let her body breathe in the warmth of Quel’Danas, the typical red of the sin’dorei mixed with the black of light breeches, which made her seem more at ease and comfortable than perhaps even her training gear. Her hair was still up it her pragmatic pony tail and her eyes set on their destination as she lead Thalyssra to the edges of the island, away from the Dead Scar and towards the expanse of ocean that stretched for miles.

The sun was high, sending the water shimmering and dancing before them, twinkling like the stars in the sky and sending light refracting off of Liadrin’s face. As Thalyssra looked at her then, she could see the weariness around her eyes, the way her eyes seemed to stare far too determinedly into the distance, as if she were stuck somewhere within her mind for the moment. It was something she knew she could not interrupt, so she simply sat upon the shore, letting the sun warm her face and letting out a contented sigh.

“When I first met you, I saw a woman who was ready to risk anything to do what she thought was right. When I look at you I see that so keenly and it reminds me of who I am and what I have been through to get to where I am today. I see in you someone who understand, someone who knows what it is like to sacrifice,” Liadrin said, her voice strong and steady, as if these were words she had practised before.

“We have much in common, Liadrin, I must say when you described the heart of the sin’dorei, I saw much of the same in you.”

“It’s difficult to be anything else, isn’t it?” Liadrin sighed, as she knelt to the ground, still refusing to be entirely relaxed or comfortable.

“I believe I know what you mean, but tell me, what does it mean for you?”

“Duty is all I have known since becoming a paladin. I have gone from a priestess, to the disenfranchised, to one who bent the Light to her will and finally to a woman restored. The duty to my people, the duty to those who fell, those in undeath, it weighs upon my shoulders and whilst I take that mantle willingly and with zeal, I cannot help but feel concerned that I am beginning to lose sight of the woman beneath it all,” Liadrin spoke slowly, as is choosing her words exceedingly carefully.

“You are worried that you are beginning to lose yourself?” Thalyssra turned to properly face Liadrin, searching her face as the sin’dorei’s eyes shifted to find hers.

“I am worried that perhaps I am too scared to be anything other than my duty. Do you know what Salandria said to me when I returned and she found me training excessively?”

“No, but I’m certain it was very direct to the heart of the problem,” Thalyssra laughed, shaking her head as she thought of the young blood elf. “What did she say?”

“She gave me one look and asked when I was going to realise that perhaps I need to help myself as well as help others. When she finally got it out of me what happened, in the appropriate details of course, she actually laughed and said it was typical. Lor’themar? He told me that he had never met a more stubborn person bar except Sylvanas. That I had to stop hiding behind all of my armour.” Liadrin scoffed, a wry smile pulling at her lips as her ears flicked slightly. “They both called me a fool.”

“Do you think you were foolish?” Thalyssra asked cautiously, not wanting to push too far.

“Yes. Immensely so, but not for the reason I told you before,” Liadrin said, her eyes focusing intensely on her, her body shifting so she was almost facing her head on. “I have wanted to kiss you for the longest time Thalyssra. I wanted to kiss you that night beneath your artefacts stars. The morning I woke up with my arms around you, I wanted nothing more than to keep holding you. For those moments, there was peace and I have not felt that in so long that I almost forgot what it felt like. It was… hard to face that.”

“You were scared?” Thalyssra reached her hand out, holding it flat on the ground beneath them.

“Yes, the way I feel about you is frightening to me, Thalyssra,” Liadrin spoke, her eyes glancing down at the hand between them. She took a moment, taking a deep breath before she reached forward and clutched Thalyssra’s hand within hers. “By the sun, you are magnificent. My soul yearns for yours when we are near and it yearns to be known by you and the thought that anyone should know me now, after everything that has happened, is an unsettling one.”

“That is understandable, Liadrin. You are allowed to feel fear, to feel anything at all, but there are things we miss due to our fears that we may never be able to have if we let those fears rule us. I am certain you know that, of course.”

“Yes, it is just, difficult. I- and what of you Thalyssra? I was the one who kissed you, but you were the one who returned it. I did not mean to hurt you when I ran, though I knew after that I must have done. I am sorry for the way I acted, it was immature.”

“You did prove rather infuriating, this is true,” Thalyssra chuckled, squeezing Liadrin’s hand within hers. “I have found it almost impossible to stop thinking of you. You are a shining beacon of hope for your people and for me. Your strength of mind, body and soul is one to be admired and I would be lying if I said that I did not find that goodness in you calling to me. I- you bring me such joy and if I am to be honest with you and myself, I want to be able to hold you in my arms and allow ourselves to merely exist for a time. Just the two of us in the world. Being known is frightening but I often find with you that I feel known already. You bring comfort, with your very presence.”

“Truly?”

“Of course. You know very well the loyalty that you inspire in others, so why is it hard to imagine the reaction you inspire in me? You are a glorious soul, Liadrin and also, not to hard on the eyes. In fact, I find you exceedingly easy to look at, I simply can’t tear my eyes away from you sometimes.”

“Oh, that I had noticed,” Liadrin chuckled, toying with Thalyssra’s fingers as they spoke and spreading warmth through the entirety of Thalyssra’s hand. “You are not so subtle when you stare, First Arcanist.”

“Well, perhaps I would feel more shame in it if I had not caught you in the act of looking me over once or twice, my dear Blood Knight.” Thalyssra leant forward and flicked Liadrin’s ear gently, chuckling as the tips dipped and twitched at the sensation.

“It appears we are both guilty parties here.”

“Indeed, we are. I have been so resistant to let you know how I feel, so completely and utterly avoidant of revealing myself in case you did not feel the same. I did not want to push you, or overstep my bounds, I considered out duty perhaps to be the most important but I had forgotten my own advice. I had forgotten that I am allowed to be known too and that I too wish to be known by you. Liadrin, I know perhaps we are both frightened in this, but I would like to try and allow ourselves this peace. Perhaps we both deserve it.”

“You are probably right,” Liadrin spoke, softer this time as she looked down at their entwined hands. “I would like to try, I have been longing to try and have this conversation since the moment I left but I did not know whether I deserved it.”

“We should try and communicate our hearts to each other, I think. I will protect your thoughts and feelings as dearly as if they were my own. I have you, Liadrin.”

Liadrin looked up then, her eyes brimming with tears that Thalyssra had never once seen enter her eyes before. She had seen them determined, strong and amused, shifting in their golden sunlight, but not once had she seen tears brimming there. Before thinking, she lifted her hand to Liadrin’s cheek, brushing away the first tear that slid down her cheek and leaning in forward until their foreheads pressed together. A soft sigh left her lips as she felt Liadrin’s hands move to the back of her head, and to her cheek, caressing her so softly that she could almost begin to feel her own eyes well with emotion.

“May I kiss you, Liadrin?” Thalyssra asked, cupping her cheeks and stroking those proud cheekbones with her thumbs.

“Please,” Liadrin breathed, her hand carding easily through her hair. “I would love nothing more.”

Thalyssra closed the distance between them slowly, breathing in the scent of briney sea air, the cold of steel and the warmth of the sun. This time when they kissed, Thalyssra sighed deeply and smiled at the feeling of those lips against hers. They moved softly and languidly, taking the time to enjoy the moment as she felt those strong hands move to her waist, holding her tightly as Liadrin moved from her kneeling position and deposited herself in Thalyssra’s lap.

Each second that past was heaven, each sound around them fading into the background as Thalyssra could only seem to concentrate on the weight of the woman above her and the softness of her hands and lips. Smiling kisses and gentle caresses stroked her soul, lulling her into that moment of peace she had felt before, with Liadrin in her arms and her heart laid bare out before her. As she clutched on harder, she found she did not want to let this go, not now and not ever.

If peace was to be found here, she would deny it no longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not crying, you're crying!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This final chapter is dedicated to appelkoek for her birthday!! What a good friend ;-; What an absolute bastard ;_; I love her! :3c

When she had been a young woman, certainly millennia younger than she was now, she had had fleeting moments of eager trysts where neither she nor her paramour could keep their hands off of each other. They had been young and in some semblance of love and nothing had mattered except the imperative to keep touching. Everywhere, anywhere, kisses and fingers and fumbling with clothes. Certainly, as she got older, she did not think that she would ever have that again, courtships, no matter how short were something slow and considered.

It was a surprise then, when she found herself pressed against the door of Liadrin’s housing, the blood elf with her hands grasping onto her thigh and massaging the muscle. It was breathtaking; the way Liadrin kissed her. It was passion and hunger and desperation all rolled into one. It was the woman who took charge so easily, who fought so valiantly and who took life by the horns. The woman who had captured her heart and who was finally letting go.

After a time, Thalyssra put a hand between them, pushing Liadrin off of her for just a moment’s breath. As soon as the paladin stepped back, Thalyssra automatically wished she hadn’t requested that distance at all. But she needed it. They needed it. Liadrin’s cheeks were red and her eyes blown wide in desire, a truly ravishing sight that made not having her hands on her all the more difficult. Still, Thalyssra took in a deep breath and pushed off of the wall, straightening her back a bit and finally taking a glance around Liadrin’s lodgings.

It was clean; almost nothing out of place as Thalyssra laced her fingers with Liadrin’s and walked further into the room. Silk drapes of red and gold hung, as was the sin’dorei way and there were cases of books along one wall, all of them engraved with gold that made Thalyssra want to laugh. It clearly was an elven thing, to stick so doggedly with a colour scheme and apply it to every last piece of architecture, object and furniture they could find. The thing that caught her eye was a low couch which sat before a table which seemed to have a series of polishes, whetstones and books that lay open upon the surface.

“Thalyssra?” Liadrin spoke, breaking Thalyssra out of her thoughts and squeezing her hand gently. “Welcome to my home. It’s… well it was given to me like this and I find myself rarely here but it’s as close to home as I can get.”

“It’s wonderful. I think I like this table the most,” Thalyssra said, moving to sit down on the couch and tracing her fingers over one of the rags with polish that lay there. “It looks the most lived in, I think.”

“Yes, I usually put them away but I use them often to clear my head. I had a lot of thinking to do before you arrived.”

“I often find myself staring at the stars created by that artefact I showed you much the same. What were you thinking of?” Thalyssra asked, parting her legs slightly and pulling Liadrin forward into an embrace. She pressed her face against Liadrin’s stomach, placing a kiss over her shirt before turning her head to simply listen.

Liadrin paused for a moment, lifting her hand to stroke through Thalyssra’s hair. Her fingers carded through the silken locks, before grazing along her ears and sending a shiver down Thalyssra’s spine. “I was worried about what I was going to say to you once I saw you. I did not know whether I would in the end take the leap, no matter how much I wished to. It would have been cowardly of me, to invite you here and not do what I intended but I have run from you quite enough.”

Thalyssra hummed at that, pulling Liadrin’s shirt out of her breeches and pushing the fabric up, revealing those toned abs she had thought about so often. Slowly, she traced her fingers over the planes of her muscles, grazing her nose against the hard flesh until she felt the puff of laughter exhale from Liadrin’s lungs. Smiling warmly, Thalyssra looked up at Liadrin watching her as she pressed kisses to the paladin’s stomach. She could practically feel the fluttering of Liadrin’s of heartbeat even from here, a sensation that only seemed to quicken as Thalyssra ran her tongue across the ridge of her muscles. The hand in her hair tensed slightly, gripping harder and pressing Thalyssra closer, an automatic reaction that only urged her on further.

Running her hands behind Liadrin, Thalyssra found herself drawn to her strong thighs, rubbing the backs of them with her hands as she mouthed at her stomach. A low groan breathed out above her, and she felt Liadrin’s body almost tremble at the touch.

“Would you like to sit in my lap, my dear sun?” Thalyssra asked, leaning backwards as she did so and pressing her legs together. She reached a hand out, smiling as Liadrin took it quickly and fell easily back into her earlier position within her lap.

Liadrin was still for a moment, her eyes dipping from Thalyssra's face downwards, biting her bottom lip as her hands began to follow the path of her eyes. Her touches were light and exploratory, taking her time with each gentle caress. Thalyssra felt her breath hitch as those strong hands cupped her breasts, squeezing gently before rubbing across her nipples through the fabric of her dress.

"You're so beautiful," Liadrin breathed, slowly brushing the straps of her dress over her shoulders. "Belore, I just want to make you feel good."

"Then do so, Liadrin." Thalyssra stroked the hard muscle of Liadrin's thighs, squeezing and rubbing in a way that made the paladin above her breathe out heavily. "I want us to enjoy this, I want you."

A small smile pulled at Liadrin's lips then, her hands moving up to fully remove the straps from her shoulders and pushing the silk until it pooled at Thalyssra's waist. A pink tongue slid across her lip, wetting them as she leant forwards, breathing gently against Thalyssra's ear until that heavenly tongue slide slowly over the underside of her ear.

"I've dreamt of this, you know?" Liadrin whispered huskily, hands splayed cross Thalyssra's chest and toying with her with reverent touches. "Though not quite as slow as this. In my dreams I'm always a little more… demanding."

"Do you want to be more demanding?" Thalyssra gasped, shivering as Liadrin began to kiss her neck. Her breath hitched as she felt the paladin rock her hips in her lap, a strong movement that made her pulse with pleasure. 

"Hmm, soon. For now, I think I'm enjoying this. Belore, we should have done this much sooner."

"Yes," a short moan rumbled at the back of her throat. "Let us make up for lost time."

As if Liadrin had almost been waiting for further permission, Thalyssra gasped as she felt Liadrin’s teeth bite into her neck. It was a delicious feeling, as the nips and bites were instantly soothed with her tongue. She stroked in tantalisingly slow swipes, working up her pulse point until Thalyssra couldn’t help the loud moan that escaped her lips. Thalyssra widened her legs, giving herself more purchase to rock her hips up into Liadrin’s slow and hard rolls of her own hips. She felt Liadrin’s hand weave into her hair as she moved her lips back to hers, kissing her hungrily and oh so slowly, taking her time and bringing Thalyssra into a sweet surrender. Their tongues moved over each other, smothering their moans as their hands explored over skin they had been keeping themselves away from.

Slowly, Thalyssra tugged at the bottom of Liadrin’s shirt, coaxing her to stop for just a moment so she could toss the offending garment across the room. They stopped for a second, as Thalyssra ran her hands over the front of Liadrin’s chest, rolling her peaked nipples between her fingers and relishing in the way the paladin sighed and leant her head backwards. Chasing that sweet sigh, Thalyssra moved forward, placing kisses all over Liadrin’s neck and stroking her tongue over the swell of her breasts. Closing her eyes, she leant and captures a nipple between her lips, licking and sucking with an appreciative hum. Liadrin’s skin was soft, nicked with scars and brimming with the strength of a warrior, it was easy to lose herself in the sensation of worshipping this woman, of pulling hoarse moans and the occasional curse from her lover’s lips.

“Fuck, that feels so good. It’s… fuck I forgot how good that feels,” Liadrin sighed, her hand cupping Thalyssra’s head and pressing her to her chest.

“You’re so flushed, dear,” Thalyssra chuckled, leaning back for a moment and earning herself a disgruntled growl from Liadrin as the sensations stopped. “It’s a beautiful colour on you.”

“Then keep going, if it pleases you,” Liadrin laughed, a loud and rich sound that Thalyssra had missed so much in their time apart. “It certainly pleases me.”

Thalyssra smiled up at her lover them, cupping her backside and urging her to kneel up properly. The hand was still in her hair, a thumb slowly stroking soothing circles on her scalp as she pressed her lips to that tones stomach again. Now she kissed down further though, swiping her tongue along the waist of the breeches that Liadrin wore and smirked at the shudder that wracked Liadrin’s body. Thalyssra found the length of a long scar with her tongue, teasing it softly and following its length until she could feels that hand in her hair tighten. She gave the scar a final kiss before her hands went to the front of the breeches, carefully undoing until they were loose enough for her to pull them, along with Liadrin’s underclothes over the swell of her backside. Thalyssra lifted her head then, looking up at Liadrin who nodded eagerly, shifting her legs and jostling in her lap until she had finally managed to kick the garment onto the floor.

There were not many things Thalyssra prayed too anymore. Elune’s grace had flourished outside of that bubble and she had not seen much reason to follow her when magic was the tool she wielded. But, as she looked up at Liadrin and her entirely nude stature, Thalyssra found herself thanking Elune for this moment, praying that this would not be the last time that her and Liadrin would meet like this. Liadrin felt like a blessing and as Thalyssra stroked her hands over the inside of her thighs, slowly caressing the strong muscles higher and higher, both of their breaths caught when Thalyssra’s fingers met the slickness between Liadrin’s thighs. 

“Breathtaking,” Thalyssra breathed, slowly tracing the edges of Liadrin’s folds with her long fingers.

“I need to see you, Thalyssra,” Liadrin growled, grasping Thalyssra’s wrist and pulling it away as she stood up from her seat on her lover’s lap.

Before Thalyssra could protest and tell her to sit back down and let her touch her, Liadrin was on her knees before her and any thought of getting her back on her lap seemed to vanish as those calloused hands stroked her calves. Kisses littered her skin, pressing higher as Liadrin pushed the dress higher and revealed more of her body to her. As she moved, Thalyssra could see the muscles in her back, shifting with each movement as if she were a prowling mana sabre, searching for its prey and that prey was going to be her. Rocking her hips up, she pushed the dress down her legs, parting her legs even wider so that Liadrin could see the sight before her.

A shiver ran down her spine as she saw the hunger in Liadrin’s eyes, the sheer need and desire that burned there was intoxicating. She could not help the whine that escaped her when Liadrin ran a finger over the wet fabric of her underwear, couldn’t help tugging at Liadrin’s head until she was close enough that she could feel the puffs of her breath against her. Trying hard to breathe, she watched as Liadrin nuzzled her cheek against Thalyssra’s thigh, worshipping them with slow and languid kisses, before she pressed forward, pressing an open mouthed kiss over her clothed mound. Thalyssra jerked her hips, her head falling back and eyes fluttering closed as she felt another kiss and another, all of them so much but nowhere near enough either.

“You’re drenched aren’t you?” Liadrin chuckled, her fingers hooking the edges of Thalyssra’s underwear and ripping them from her. “You look divine.”

“My underwear… you know I don’t even care. By the stars, why do I not even care?” Thalyssra laughed with her, stroking her ears between her fingers and smiling at the way they flicked at the sensation. “Keep going. Please, just keep going.”

Keeping her eyes open was an impossibility as Liadrin lapped her tongue up the centre of Thalyssra’s folds, slowly working her tongue in the most enticing of ways. Thalyssra breathed deeply, her chest rising and falling with the accompanied moans that trembled in her chest. Each flick, each stroke was like ascending into a higher plane. How long had it been since anyone had touched her like this? Since she had felt a bubble of laughter and joy in her chest, relief and happiness all rolled into one. She laughed between choked moans as Liadrin circles her clit with her tongue, her hand moving to stroke along the hand that was stroking her thigh softly.

As soon as Liadrin felt her hand, the woman took it in her own, lacing their fingers together and gripping tightly as she teased around Thalyssra’s entrance. There had definitely not been many times when Thalyssra’s heart had felt so entirely filled by a simple action. The gentle stroke of a thumb along the back of her hand was enough to bring a small well of tears to her eyes. She could feel them slip down her cheeks and she relished in them, in the sheer emotion of feeling Liadrin pleasure her this way. It was far better than she had ever dreamt in the dark of her own room, the sensations of her tongue slowly thrusting inside of her were more than any touch of her own fingers had been.

“You are beautiful,” Thalyssra gasped, moving her legs so that they were wrapped around Liadrin’s shoulders, allowing her deeper access. “Use your fingers, yes, ah, just like that.”

Liadrin followed her directions eagerly, her lips wrapped around her clit and sucking greedily, whilst she slipped two fingers inside Thalyssra’s wet heat. A sharp cry left Thalyssra’s lips when Liadrin curled her fingers against her front wall, stroking over and over that ridge inside of her. Her eyes opened, her stomach twisting and curling with pleasure as Liadrin worked at her. It was impossible not to look at her, to look at the way her the off pieces of hair that escaped from her ponytail were covering her face, at the the adoring eyes that were looking at her. As if mesmerised, Thalyssra ran her hand down, stroking Liadrin’s cheek and neck, pulling her closer and closer as she felt her body trembling under the attention. 

“You feel  _ so _ good, Thalyssra,” Liadrin purred, nipping her clit slightly and causing a violent shudder to rip through Thalyssra’s body. “That’s it, come for me. Let me see you come.”

“Keep talking like that and I will,” Thalyssra gasped, moving her legs from Liadrin’s shoulders and dragging her upwards. “I need you up here. Look at me, please.”

“Do you like it when I talk to you like this?”

“Yes! Stars, yes I do!” Thalyssra moaned, her eyes locking with Liadrin’s as her lover straddled her thigh and continued to fuck her slowly.

“I don’t ever want to stop making love to you like this,” Liadrin gasped, rocking her hips slightly against Thalyssra’s thigh.

“I don’t ever want you to stop.”

Liadrin groaned at that, kissing Thalyssra hard and desperately. Her fervent kiss was matched eagerly with the speed of her fingers as she thrust them faster and faster, pressing inside of her and tapping, stroking against that most sensitive part of her. It was maddening and sweet, thrilling and peaceful, Thalyssra couldn’t get enough, she needed more as she felt her body coil and coil, until she found herself burying her face in Liadrin’s neck, her entire body shaking as she was brought well over the edge and into her climax. More tears spilled down her cheeks, she could not explain how relieved she felt that this was happening, that they had made this choice together. Her arms wound tightly against Liadrin, one around her shoulder and the other around her hip, pulling her greedily against her thigh and relishing in the moans and trembling legs that encased her.

When Liadrin’s fingers slipped out from her, Thalyssra eagerly caught her wrist and pulled them to her lips. Wrapping her mouth around the digits, she stared unwavering into Liadrin’s eyes, moaning as her tongue caressed and lapped up the juices that coated her. Golden eyes widened, leaning in closer as a low groan escaped Liadrin’s lips. Her hips rocked hard and slow, her groan turning into deep and quite breaths as she pleasured herself on Thalyssra’s thigh.

“Bed. Now.” Liadrin abruptly stood up the moment Thalyssra had released her fingers with a pop. 

“Why? You don’t want to continue to use my thigh right here?” Thalyssra laughed, biting her lip as her hand ghosted down to where the slickness coated her thigh. She watched at Liadrin looked at her with widening eyes as she gathered some of the fluid on her finger and popped it into her mouth. The moan she let out was only partially exaggerated as she tasted Liadrin on her fingers, allowing herself to keep her eyes closed and taking her time before she opened them again. “You taste wonderful.”

“Oh for the…  _ Light _ ,” Liadrin breathed, grasping Thalyssra’s wrist and bringing her up with her. “Don’t make me say it twice?”

“You are so eager, how could I say no? I cannot wait to touch you, I have waited so long. I have been so patient and I cannot help it if now that you are here with me, if I am allowed some impatience now and again.”

Liadrin chuckled, taking Thalyssra’s hands and pulling her towards where silken curtains hung from an archway in the room. Moving between the fabric, Thalyssra could not help but smile at the typical circular style of bed that seemed to be all the rage in Silvermoon, decorated in a delicious combination of black satin, with golden embroidery. She did not take long to look around the rest of the room, there would be time for that later. Right now, there was a naked Liadrin in front of her and she couldn’t think of any sight in here that could be greater.

Moving forward, she wrapped an arm around Liadrin’s waist and tilted her head up with a finger under her chin. She could not help but smile as they kissed, relishing as her hands moved over the strong muscles in her back and over her shoulders. Thalyssra took another step, another and another until Liadrin’s knees had met the edge of the bed and she had to lower her down onto the soft bed sheets. It was like every dream she had ever had and so much better, as she felt Liadrin’s hands cup her cheeks, stroking her softly and sighing in contentment as they kissed.

It was a slow thing, of feather light touches the stroked over each others bodies. Thalyssra forced herself to slow down, to take her time as she moved Liadrin’s leg up so that her foot was planted on the sheets. She enjoyed feeling cradled by that strong leg as she used it for purchase to move hover over Liadrin’s body. Slowly and surely, she stroked her fingers over those muscles once more, lower and lower until her fingers dipped back towards the wetness she had been denied earlier. Breathing out slowly, she met Liadrin’s eyes, sighing gently as Liadrin’s hands stroked over her shoulders and massaged her slightly.

“I can barely believe this isn’t a dream,” Thalyssra breathed, leaning her head down and kissing Liadrin’s neck slowly. “You are far too magnificent to be real.”

“I’m as real as you are,” Liadrin murmured, her hips rocking as Thalyssra slowly stroked and circled over her clit. “Light, that feels so good.”

As Thalyssra slipped two fingers inside of her lover, she felt Liadrin’s own fingers brush against Thalyssra’s clit as they had earlier, working her slowly and sweetly as Liadrin pulled her closer. She would have protested, insisted that it was Liadrin’s turn to be pampered, but she couldn’t resist opening her legs wider. It felt right, for them both to be on the bed like this, touching each other slowly amidst a symphony of their moans and sounds of pleasure. The feeling of Liadrin’s walls around her fingers, contracting and squeezing her was heaven, there was nothing greater than this moment between them, no place Thalyssra would rather be than within Liadrin’s arms. 

She turned them both on their side, her arm wrapping around Liadrin’s shoulder as they touched and stroked each other. A bubble of laughter passed her lips as Liadrin moaned loudly, her hips trembling and shaking as Thalyssra quickened her pace, fucking her harder and faster. She wanted more and more, taking each hitch of Liadrin’s breath and every breathtaking moan as a sign to go on, to pull strings of pleasure until Liadrin was a panting mess, leaning their foreheads together and clutching onto her. 

“I… fuck, I think I love you,” Liadrin breathed out, whining as Thalyssra brought her closer to the edge, coaxing her closer with each curl of her fingers.

“You think?” Thalyssra laughed, her own body trembling as she found herself quickly approaching another climax.

“No. I know. I love you, please don’t stop. I want you to make me come,” Liadrin spoke, her voice clear and determined. There was no hesitation as there had been before, just clear certainty as they looked at each other. “ I love you, Thal.”

“I love you too, Liadrin. How easy you made it to fall for you, my love,” Thalyssra sighed, her eyes fluttering closed as she felt her body shudder and quake. “Gods, please, I need to you come for me.”

Liadrin breathed out a heavy sigh, a warm smile crossing her lips as she rocked her hips and thrust her own fingers faster. There was no more talking as they brought each other to that sweet precipice together, as they put aside the entirety of their dance of uncertainty and crashed together into the sweet surrender they had been waiting for. Feeling Liadrin’s body quake against hers, Thalyssra held her tight as she coaxed her through her orgasm, cradling her head as their lips sought each others desperately. It was as if time ceased to work, as if this moment for them would last forever. There was nothing outside of them, nothing that could break this peaceful serenity.

After awhile, they collapsed back onto the bed, both of them breathing and laughing in boundless relief. Thalyssra felt a warm glow cover her entire body as they lay there, trying to catch her breath. She felt the bed shifting beside her as Liadrin propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at her, a warm smile pulling at her lips. At first no words were said, her lover merely cupped her cheek and pressed kisses all over her face, finishing with a small peck on the tip of her nose. Everything touch of Liadrin’s fingers across the paths of arcane tattoos that decorated her body felt like it would heal her just from this. This woman did not need the Light, she was healing and magic all on her own.

“I suppose Lor’themar and Valtrois will have a lot to talk about when they find out about this,” Liadrin chuckled, her smile widening as Thalyssra took her hand and pressed a kiss to her open palm. 

“We won’t hear the end of it, I’m certain of it!”

Thalyssra laughed along with Liadrin, pulling her down and kissing her eagerly. It was hard to stop once they started, as if they were both drunk off of each other, seeking more and more in way of touches and kisses, even those that weren’t meant to go any further. There was a safety in this and as Thalyssra found herself dosing over, with Liadrin’s head nestled on her chest, it was hard to believe that she had been so scared of this. That either of them had run and hidden their feelings felt silly now. There was nothing wrong with feeling like this, in fact, how could they lead if not with a healthy mind, body and soul. Thalyssra felt full, her heart bursting at the seams as she heard a deep and gentle breath exhale from the sleeping Liadrin on her chest.

How easy this felt, to lay here and stroke Liadrin’s hair. To let it out of its ponytail gently and to relish in just how soft and soothing it was. They were both here, both alive and both fighting. They fought for their people and they had fought for each other. As Thalyssra closed her eyes, allowing sleep to overcome her, despite the sun that still drifted in between the edges of curtains, she couldn’t help but smile. Yes, this was the right decision. There was no way something as easy and warm as this could have ever been wrong.


End file.
